Panel Urges Changes To Military Recruitment

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Military Diversity Commission recommends the U.S. military open ground combat units to women, The Washington Times reports.

The Times, in a story published Friday, said the report is scheduled to be released this month, with copies to the entire Congress.

The commission also urged the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy to change recruitment standards to give more blacks and Hispanics a chance to qualify. Those would include test scores, criminal records and education standards.

"Racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to meet eligibility requirements than are non-Hispanic whites, and that gap is widening," the panel said.

Congress in 1994 passed a law that allowed women to serve on ships and as flight crew in combat, but infantry and armor units remain men only. The commission said allowing women into those units would make for a "level playing field" for promotion.

At least one woman on the panel was doubtful making the change would make much difference. Rebecca Halstead, a retired Army brigadier general, said 99 percent of Army women would probably support opening up the infantry -- and the same percentage would say they do not want to join the infantry themselves.